The Secret to Keeping Your Powder Foundation from Caking

Powder foundation’s biggest flaw? The cakiness. It’s a common intro product into the world of beauty because it’s fairly easy to use, but when layered in excess, or especially when layered over concealer under your eyes, it has a habit of creasing and cracking.

But that’s not a hard and fast rule in makeup—there is a way to make your liquid or cream concealer and powder foundation mesh.

First, celebrity makeup artist Daniel Martin, a pro who works with celebrities like Jessica Alba and Jessica Biel, says that you can use any type of concealer with powder foundation, but it all comes back to how it’s applied.

"What I would do is after you get your desired coverage of your concealer, light and loosely apply the powder foundation around the orbital bone area," explains Martin. "This will ever so lightly lay on top of the concealer." In short, don't overdo it.

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After the powder has been placed, he says to grab a powder puff and gently press it into the skin. If you do apply too much or your formula cakes right away, he has an easy fix. "If you feel like the skin around your eyes look dry and cake, press a a moist foundation sponge over it to cut the creasing," he suggests.

When it comes to touching up a spot with concealer when you've already applied your powder foundation, you need to be even more precise in your application technique. Take a concealer brush—Martin recommends MORPHE Brushes G10 Concealer Brush—and apply the concealer in a stippling motion. "The short stroking applied lets you build the coverage without looking heavy."

And then, opt for a formula that will perform and sit on your skin nicely. One of Martin's favorite concealers at the moment is Bobbi Brown Instant Full Coverage Concealer ($30; sephora.com). "It's buildable, glides on smoothly, and water resistant!"

As for powder, he reaches for the new Diorskin Forever Perfect Matte Powder Foundation ($54; sephora.com). "The matte, medium-to-full coverage feels weightless on the skin and never flat or cakey."